Kidney injury, electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities associated with use of alternative medicine products

Abstract

Alternative medicine treatment, defined broadly as the use of unproven therapies is increasingly popular in the United States. An estimated 40% of the population resorted to alternative medicine regimens in 1999 for either preventive, palliative, or therapeutic purposes. Alternative medicine products are characterized as untested remedies, containing unverified ingredients whose side effect profile is not defined. Their sale to the public is not regulated. The kidneys, as excretory organs for drugs and toxins are susceptible to injury from toxicity imparted by untested and unregulated products. This reality is particularly pertinent to patients with compromised kidney function from prevalent disorders such as diabetes or hypertension. Chronic kidney disease (CKD), as defined by The National Kidney Foundation is a major public health problem in the United States, affecting over 20 million people. Because, in the early stages, no symptoms attributable to CKD may be evident, the majority of those with CKD are unaware of their renal disorders. This lack of awareness of renal injury predisposes persons with early CKD to the potential harmful consequences of alternative medicine products. We describe a patient requiring hospitalization for severe symptomatic electrolyte abnormalities after ingesting alternative medicine products, detailing literature reports of kidney injury, acid-base, and electrolyte abnormalities associated with use of alternative medicine products.